Cartridge sterilizer



s- 1942- A. FERGUSON CARTRIDGE sTERILizER Filed Julyv8, 1940..

INVENTOR.

Qdrfz'an 11,.Ferquson Fina 5.

' syringes.

Patented Aug. 11, 1942 Ferguson, an infant, one-fifth to Guy M. Lane, and one-fifth to William A. Quick Application July 8, 1940, Serial No. 344,462

3 Claims.

The invention relates to sterilizing means for cartridges or medicament holders, such as are used in connection with one type of hypodermic These cartridges are cylindrical glass tubes having stoppers at the opposite ends thereof which hermetically seal therein the liquid medicament. In use, the cartridge is placed in the syringe, the hypodermic needle piercing one of the stoppers to extend into the liquid content while the other stopper constitutes a plunger for ejecting the fluid through the needle. It is the object of the invention to provide a means for readily sterilizing the end of the cartridge having the stopper which is pierced by the needle. It is a further object to provide a container for a plurality of cartridges so constructed that each cartridge before withdrawal from the container is sterilized. The invention, therefore, consists in the novel construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section through the cartridge sterilizer;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof with the cover removed;

Figure 3 is a plan view with the cartridge holder removed;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation substantially on line 44 of Figure 2.

A is a container for a group of cartridges, being preferably of cylindrical form and provided with a detachable cover B. C. is the holder for the cartridges, which fits within the container A to be revoluble therein, and is provided with a circular series of cells D, each adapted to receive a single cartridge. The cells D of the outer row are open at both ends, but the inner rows of cells are preferably closed at the bottom. The holder is of a height less than the length of the cartridges and at its center is provided with an aperture E extending completely through the same. The container A is provided with a segmental ledge F which supports the holder and constitutes a bottom for the cells D of the outer row. This ledge does not extend completely around the container, but is cut away to form a well G in which the cartridges in the outer row of cells can be dropped to immerse the lower ends thereof in the sterilizing fluid.

With the construction as described all of the cells of the holder C may be filled with cartridges, those in the outer row resting upon the ledge F with the exception of those in this row which are in registration with the well G. A suitable quantity of the sterilizing fluid is then introduced into the container by pouring through the central aperture E, filling the space between the holder and the bottom of the container and extending upward to any desired level. The container may then be closed'by the cover B to hold the cartridges until needed for use. When a cartridge is to be withdrawn it is taken from one of the outer rows of cells, the holder being first revolved to register this cell with the well G. The lower end of the cartridge is thus dropped in the well to be immersed in the sterilizing fluid, which will also extend upward around the outer surface of the cartridge within the cell. The upper end of the cartridge still extends above the upper end of the holder 0 so that the operator may take hold of this end and engage the cartridge with the syringe. In so doing the hypodermic needle pierces the stopper at the lower end of the cartridge, but as this has been thoroughly sterilized there is no danger of contaminating the medicament. When all of the cartridges in the outer row of cells have been exhausted, those of the inner rows may be transferred to the outer row and successively sterilized and withdrawn as above described.

- What I claim as my invention is:

l. A cartridge sterilizer comprising a cylindrical holder having a plurality of axially extending cells for receiving the individual cartridges including an outer circular series of cells open at both top and bottom and inner cells closed at the bottom, and a container in which said holder is revolubly mounted, said container having a segmental ledge for supporting said holder above the bottom of the container to form a well therebeneath for holding a sterilizing fluid and also closing the lower ends of the cells in said circular series, said ledge .being interrupted to form an extension of said well with which the cells of said circular series may be successively registered to permit dipping of the cartridges therein into the sterilizing solution.

2. A cartridge sterilizer comprising a cylindrical holder having a central aperture extending therethrough and a multiplicity of cells surrounding said central aperture for receiving the individual cartridges including an outer circular series of cells open at both ends and inner cells closed at the bottom, a container in which said holder is revolubly mounted, a segmental ledge within said container for supporting said holder above the bottom to form a well for holding a sterilizing fluid introduced through the central aperture, said ledge being beneath the cells of the outer circular series and being cut away to form an extension of said well whereby the cells in the outer circular series may be successively registered with the extension of said well to permit dipping of the cartridges therein into the sterilizing fluid.

3. A cartridge sterilizer comprising a cylindrical holder of an axial length less than the length of the cartridges and provided with a central aperture extending therethrough and a multiplicity of cylindrical cells surrounding said central aperture for receiving the individual cartridges including an outer circular series of cells open at both ends and cells within said circular series closed at the bottom, a cylindrical container for said holder, 9. segmental ledge within said container for supporting said holder above the bottom to form a well for holding a sterilizing fluid introduced through said central aperture, said ledge being beneath the cells of the outer circular series and being cut away to form an extension of said well, whereby a rotation of said holder within said container will successively re ister the cells of the outer circular series with said extension of the well to permit the dropping of the cartridges into the sterilizing fluid, and a detachable cover for said container providing space therein for the projecting upper ends of the cartridges in said cells.

ADRIAN L. FERGUSON. 

